Control mechanism for fluid and electric couplings



T. R. BROWN.

coNTRoL MEcHANlsM FOR FLUID AND ELECTRIC couPLlNGs.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 22| 1914.

T. R. BROWN.

CONTROL MECHANISM FOR FLUID AND ELECTRIC COUPLINGS.

APPLICATION man MAY22,1914.

1,386,234, Patented Aug. 2, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

l w-L www UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS E. BROWN, OE sPARxILL, NEW YORK, AssIGNoR To THE WEsTINGHOUsE AIP. BRAKE COMPANY, OP WILMERDING, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OP PENNSYLVANIA.

CONTROL MECHANISM EOP. FLUID AND ELECTRIC COUPLINGS.

Application led May 22,

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, THOMAS R. BROWN', a citizen of the United States, residing at Sparkill, in the county of Rockland and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Control Mechanism for Fluid and lElectric Couplings, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to electric train line couplings, and more particularly to an apparatus for controlling the electric train line circuits and fluid pressure train pipe conductors on one coupling, so that when counterpart couplings are brought together, corresponding train line circuits will be in position for registry.

Another object of my invention is to provide a device for controlling the electric train line `circuits and means controlled by said device for opening and closing the Outlets of the train brake pipe, the signal pipe, and other Huid pressure pipes.

In the accompanying drawings; Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of a control apparatus embodying my invention as applied to two cars and coupled together; Fig. 2 a diagrammatic view illustrating the relative positions of the electric train line switches of counterpart couplings when coupled; Fig. 3 a side view of the switch drum; Fig. 4 a diagrammatic view of a somewhat modified 'construction embodving my invention; Fig. 5 a transverse Section of the mechanism Jfor automatically controlling fluid pressure train lines in conjunction with the electric train line switch control; and Fig. 6 a transverse section of the above mechanism on a different plane.

The control mechanism shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings may comprise a casing 1 containing a switch drum 2 having a plurality of contacts 3 and 4 arranged 1n vertical Specieation of Letters Patent.

a Patented Aug. 2, 1921. 1914. serial No. 840,205.

pairs and corresponding in number with the number of train line circuits to be provided for. For rotating the drum 2, a pair of statlonary pistons 4 and 5 is `preferably provided and a movable piston cylinder 6 having attached thereto a rack 7 adapted to mesh with a gear segment 8 carried by the shaft 9 of the switch drum 2. The pistons 4 and 5 are chambered, and within each chamber is a coiled spring 10, adapted to yieldmgly resist movement of a movable abutment 11, slidably mounted on a central guide stem 12.

Am intermediate dividing wall 13. of the cylinder 6 is normally held in engagement with both of the movable abutments 11, so that the cylinder tends to yieldingly remain in intermediate position between the .stationary pistons 4 and 5.

The interior chamber of one of the stationary pistons, such as the piston 4, communicates with a pipe 14 leading to a fluid pressure controlling cock 15 and this chamber also communicates with a pipe 16 adapted to be connected through a coupling to a plpe on the adjoining car when the cars are coupled up. The chamber of the other piston 5 is similarly open to a pipe 17.

A storage reservoir 18 is connected by a pipe 19 to the cock 15 and is charged from the train brake pipe 20 through a pipe 21 containing a check valve 22, and having a restricted port 23 communicating with the reservoir.

In order to lock the switch drum 2 in its Operative positions, a detent 24 is provided, which is adapted to engage on opposite sides of a projection 25 carried by the gear segment 8. The detent 24 may be operated by Huid pressure and for this purpose is provided with a piston 26 having the chamber 27 at one side open to a passage 28 containing a check valve 29 and communicating with a pipe 30 leading to the cock 15. Said chamber is also connected to a pipe 31 having gasket connection in the coupling adapted to register with a corresponding pipe of a counterpart 'coupling'. The opposite side of the piston 26 is subject to a spring 32 tending to hold the piston and the detent 24 in the outer position.

Normally, the detent 24 rests on the oute face of the projection 25, and the springs 10 acting in opposite directions on the wall 13 maintain the cylinder 6 in itsl intermediate position, in which the switch drum 2 is turned so that the contact fingers 33 do not close any circuits through the contacts 3 and 4 of the switch'drums and consequently in this position, the electric train line 'circuits are open.

v If it is desired to couple up, the electric train line couplings are first coupled, so as to effect the electrical connection of the train line circuits through the couplings and then the plug valve 34 of the cock 15 is turned to the coupling position on either one of the connected cars. In this position, a cavity 35 in the valve 34 connects pipe 14 with pipe 19, so that Huid under pressure from the reservoir-18 is supplied to the piston chamber of the piston 4 on the car when the cock 15 is operated. The cylinder 6 is then actuated and through the ac- -tion of the rack 7 and the gear segment 8 the switch drum 2 is rotated in one direction. Fluid supplied to the piston 4, however, also flows through pipe 16 to pipe 17 on the other car and thence fiows to the piston chamber of the piston 5. Consequently, on this car, the cylinder 6 is operated to turn the swltch drum 2 in the opposite direction.

The relation of the switch contacts and fingers on the counterpart couplings will then be as illustrated diagrammatically in Figs. 2 and 4, where two of the main line circuits are shown.

Referring to Fig. 2 of the drawings, train line circuit a of each car is connected to a contact finger 33, circuit b to finger 33b and leads c and d, connected to the electric coupling contact terminals c and d', are respectively connected to fingers 33c and 33d.

The course of the train line circuit a is from the contact finger 33a on one car through drum contact 4, finger 33c to lead c which is electrically connected by terminals c and al to lead el in the coupling on the other car. The circuit continues through contact linger 33c1 to drum contact 3 and thence through linger 33a to train line circuit a. Similarly, the I) circuit is from contact finger 33h, through drum contact 3, finger 33d, lead (l, contact terminals d', c', lead c, contact finger 33, drum contact 4, and finger 33b to circuit b. The contact terminals are merely shown diagrammatically, but may be supported in any suitable or preferred form of coupler heads.

It will thus be seen that corresponding train line circuits are properly connected by the operation of one of the switch drums so as to cross connect the circuits, and while the above description refers only to two train line circuits, it will be evident that any number of circuits may be controlled by providing the necessary contacts on the switch '.lrum.

Since the opposite piston chambers of the other is operated to make cross connections.

Upon movement of the switch drum to either operating position, the detent 24 drops into position back of the projection 25 so that the switch drum is locked in position and this -obviates the necessity of maintaining iiuid pressure on the operating piston cylinder. In order to cut off the air supply to the piston cylinder 6, the valve 34'is provided with a normal coupled position, in which the operating handle is removable and in which the cavity 35 is shifted out of registry with the pipe 14. In this position, said pipe is connected with a cavity 36 in the valve which establishes communication from the pipe 14 to an exhaust port 37, so that the piston chamber of the switch control mechanism is vented to the atmosphere.

The detent 24 may also bev provided with a projecting stern handle 38, so that when desired, the switch drum may be released by manually operating the handle 38.

In a coupling, it is desirable to open the electric train line circuits before the cars are separated, and for this purpose, the cock valve 34 has a position in which pipe 30 is connected through cavity 35 with supply pipe 19. Fluid in this position is supplied to piston chamber 28 and this actuates the detent piston 26 and thereby releases the detent 24, permitting the switch drum to return to its neutral position. Fluid is also supplied through the connected pipes 31 to the piston 26 of the counterpart switch control mechanism, so that the detent 24 on each car is operated to permit the switch drum to return to neutral position. The check valve 29 prevents back flow of fluid from pipe 31 to the cock 15 on the car where the cock is not actuated in a coupling, so that there will be no escape of fiuid under pressure by flow out of the open exhaust port 37.

By taking the air supply from the reservoir 18, instead of directly from the brake pipe, possible reduction in brake pipe pressure is prevented which might otherwise be suflicient, in some cases, to cause an unintentional application of the brakes.

Another feature of my invention consists in controlling the brake pipe, and signal pipe outlets, so that when the switch drum is operated in uncoupling, the said outlets may be automatically closed while provision is made for holding the brake pipe outlet open upon a break-ln-two, so that the usual emergency application of the brakes will be obtained in such event.

For this purpose, a brake pipe outlet controlling valve device is employed comprising a casing 39 containing a piston 40 having the chamber 41 at one side connected to a pipe 42 leading to the controlling cock 15, and the chamber 43 at the opposite side in conmmnication with a pipe 44 also leading to the cock 15. The piston 4() is adapted to seat in its opposite extreme positions, so as to prevent iiow past the piston and is provided with a stem 45 carrying a valve 46 for controlling communication through the brake pipe 20.

The valve 46 is arranged to have a movement relative to the piston 40, so as to permit the valve to seat at all times when the piston 40 is seated. This relative movement may be provided by securing the valve 46 to a valve 47 which controls communication from the brake pipe to the chamber 41.

A spring 48 tends to maintain the valve 47 seated and also yieldingly maintains the valve 46 seated when the piston 40 is operated.

For controlling the signal pipe outlet a valve device is provided comprising a casing 50 having a piston chamber 51 containing a piston 52 for operating a valve 53 adapted to control communication through the signal pipe 54.

The piston chamber 51 is connected to a pipe which communicates with pipe 44 leading to the controlling cock l5.

In operation, when the handle of the controlling cock 15 is in either of its coupled positions the pipe 44 is connected by cavity 35 with supply pipe 19, so that fluid under pressure is supplied to piston chamber 43 and pisto-n chamber 51 to maintain the respective pistons 40 and 52 in positions for holding the valve 46 and the valve 53 open. This consequently allows the free flow of fluid through the brake and signal pipes when the cars are coupled up, the piston chamber 41 being connected to the atmospherie port 37 through pipe 42 and cavity 36 in the valve 34.

lVhen the valve 34 is turned to either of its,uncoupling positions, the pipe 44 is connected to the atmospheric port 37 through cavity 36, while pipe 42 is connected to supply pipe 19 through cavity 35. Fluid under pressure is then supplied to piston chamber 41 while the piston chamber 43 is vented to the atmosphere and consequently the piston 40 is actuated to close the valve 46 and cut off flow through the brake pipe.

The venting of piston chamber 51 also permits the piston 52 to shift so as to close the signal valve 53. The seating of valve 46 also operates to open the valve 47 so that fluid pressure in the piston chamber 41 can bleed into the brake pipe and prevent possible bottling of pressure in the chamber, thereby insuring the prompt opening of the valve 46 when the brake pipe pressure is again raised.

In case of a. break-in-two, the piston 40 is held in open position by fluid supplied from reservoir 18 to the piston chamber 43, so that the brake pipe may be vented to the atmosphere to produce'an emergency application of the brakes in the usual manner. The fluid in reservoir 18, however, slowly leaks away by fiow around the piston stem 45, so that finally the spring pressure on the piston 40 exceeds the fluid pressure in chamber 43 and the piston 40 is thereby operated to close the/valve 46,

According to the modification shown in Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawings, the valves for1 controlling the outlets of the brake pipe and the signal pipe may be directly operated by a mechanical connection to the electric train line switch drum instead of by fluid pressure, and for this purpose, an additional gear segment 60 may be provided on the switch drum shaft 9, for engagement with gear segments 61 and 62. The gear segment 61 is secured to a shaft 63 provided with a cam 64 having projections 65 and 66 for engaging the stem of a puppet valve 67 controlling communication through the brake pipe 20 to the coupling end of the brake pipe. The gear segment 62 is secured to a shaft 68 carrying a cam 69 having projections 70 and 71 adapted to engage the stem of apuppet valve 72 for controlling communication through the signal pipe 54 to the coupling.

When the switch drum is turned to neutral position, in uncoupling, the gear segments are turned by the gear segment 60 so that the yflat faces of the cams 64 Iand 69, which are located between the cam projections, are turned to a position parallel with the ends of the valves 67 and 72. This permits the valves to close and cut off How through the brake pipe and the signal pipe. After coupling, the switch drum is turned either one way or the other from neutral position and in so turning, the gear segments 61 and 62 are rotated so as to bring one of the projections of the cams 64 and 69 into engagement with` the respective valves 67 and 72. The valves are thus held open in the coupled position and in case of a break-in-two, the brake pipe is vented to the atmoshere in the usual manner.

In order to provide an independent manual control of the brake and signal pipe outlets, manually operated cocks 73 and 74 may be provided and these cocks may then be operated the same as ordinary angle cocks for manually opening and closing the brake and signal pipes.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. The combination with a plurality of electric train line circuits having terminals adapted to be connected with the corresponding circuits of another car, of a switch' located between the terminal wires and the car circuit wires on each car, and having one position to transversely cross connect said terminal wires with said car circuit wires, and another position to open said circuits, and means for operating one of said switches to one position and the other switch to the opposite position.

2. The combination with a plurality of electric train line circuits having terminals adapted to be electrically connected with the corresponding circuits of another car, of a switch for controlling said circuits and manually operated means for shifting counterpart switches on connected cars to cross connect the terminals on one car with the train line circuits and straight connect the terminals on the othercar with the train line circuits.

3. The combination with a plurality of electric train line circuits having terminals adapted to be electrically connected with the corresponding circuits of another car, of a switch for controlling said circuits having one position for directly connecting the terminals with train line circuits and another position for cross connecting same and means operated from one car for moving counterpart switches to different positions.

4. The combination with a plurality of electric train line circuits having terminals adapted to be electrically connected with the corresponding circuits of another car, of a rotatable switch for controlling said circuits having positions for directly and cross connecting the terminals with the train line circuits, a fluid operated piston device for actuating said switch, a fluid conduit for connecting counterpart piston devices upon the meeting of counterpart couplings, and manually controlled means Jfor supplying fluid to both piston devices to thereby shift one switch to one operating position and the other switch to the other operating position.

5. The combination with a plurality of electric train line circuits having terminals adapted to be electrically connected with the corresponding circuits of another car, of a switch for controlling said circuits having positions for directly and cross connecting the terminals with the train line circuits, a movable abutment operated by supplying iluid under pressure to one side for shifting the switch to one position and by supplying fluid to the opposite side for shifting the switch to the other position, a fluid conduit for connecting opposite sides oi counterpart movable abutments upon the coming together of adjacent cars, and means for supplying fluid to one side of the movable abutment.

6. The combination with a plurality of electric train line circuits having terminals adapted to be electrically connected with the corresponding circuits of another car, of-a controlling mechanism for the train line circuits comprising a switch having positions for directly and cross connecting the train line circuits with the terminals, a movable abutment operated by the admission of fluid pressure to opposite sides for shifting the switch to its respective operative positions, anda passage connecting opposite sides of the movable abutments of counterpart controlling mechanisms when cars are coupled together.

7. The combination with a plurality of electric train line circuits, of a switch having two opposite positions for connecting said train line circuits, and an intermediate neutral position in which the circuits are open, means tending to maintain the switch in said neutral position, and fluid pressure mechanism for throwing the switch to either one or the other of its opposite positions.

8. In an electric coupling for cars, the combination of a plurality of contact terminals connected to the respective car line circuits and adapted to engage corresponding contacts of another car when the cars are coupled together, a switch for said circuits having an intermediate neutral position and two opposite operative positions, means normally tending to move said switch to its neutral position, and locking means for holding said switch in either one of its opposite operative positions.

9. In an electric coupling for cars, the combination of a plurality of contact terminals connected to the respective car line circuits and adapted to engage corresponding contacts of another car when the cars are coupled together, a switch for said circuits having an lntermcdiate neutral position and two opposite operative positions, springs for normally holding said switch in its neutral position, locks for positively holding the switch in either one of its opposite operative positions, and fluid pressure means for releasing said locks.

10. In an electric coupling for cars, the combination of a. plurality of contact terminals connected to the respective car line circuits and adapted to engage corresponding contacts of another car when the cars are coupled together, a switch for said circuits having an intermediate neutral position and two opposite operative positions, springs for normally holding said switch in its neutral position, a piston for actuating said switch, a valve for controlling the supply of fluid pressure to said piston, and locking means for holding said switch in either one of its opposite positions.

11. In an electric coupling for cars, the combination of a plurality of contact terminals connected to the respective car line circuits and adapted to engage corresponding contacts of another car when the cars are coupled together, a switch for said circuits having an intermediate neutral position. and two opposite operative positions, springs `for normally holding said switch in its neutralposition, a piston for actuating said switch, locks for holding said switch in either one of its opposite operative positions, iuid pressure means for releasing said locks, and a valve for controlling the supply of fluid pressure to said piston and to said locks.

12. The combination with car and electric coupling means including a plurality of electric Contact members at each side of the car coupler and circuits leading from said contacts,`and a reversing switch to straighten out the circuits after the car is coupled.

13. The combination with car and 'electric coupling means including contact elements carried thereby and circuits leading therefrom, of a reversing switch Jfor the said circuits, and means for operating thc reversing switch to straighten out the circuits after the car is coupled.

14. The combination with counterpart car and electric couplers including circuit connections leading therefrom, of a reversing switch mechanism for the connections from each coupler, and means for operating both switch mechanisms from one carto straighten out the circuits after two cars are coupled.

15. The combination with counterpart car and electric couplers including circuit connections, of reversing switch mechanism for connect-ing the circuits of each coupler, and means in each car for operating the reversing switch in both cars to make predetermined electrical connections after the cars are coupled.

16. The combination with counterpart car and electric couplers comprising a plurality of electrical contacts at each side of the car coupler and circuits leading therefrom, of electric reversing switch mechanism for each coupler having a separate circuit connection tor each contact, and means in one car for operating both of said mechanisms to place the proper connections in circuit through the couplers, the number ot circuits being the total of the contacts on both sides of one of the car couplers.

17. The combination with counterpart car couplers, of electric contactwmakers carried on each side of each 'coupler with circuits leading therefrom, and electric reversing switches for reversing the electric circuit connections after impact of the couplers and operation to make a number of circuit connections through the coupler equal to the total of contact makers on both sides of each car coupler.

18. In a car and multiple electric coupler, the combination with a rotatable reversing switch for the electric coupler circuits, and means comprising a pair of fluid pressure devices for rotating the switch in one direction or the other.

1.9. The combination with counterpart car and electric couplers for a plurality of circuits, ot a rotatable reversing switch for the circuits of each electric coupler, means for rotating each switch in either direction, and controlling means in each car for rotating the reversing switch in one car in one direction and that in the other car in the other direction.

20. The combination with counterpart electric couplers having a plurality of contact makers symmetrically disposed on each side of a center line and circuit connections therefor, of a reversing switch for straight or cross connecting and disconnecting the said contact makers in their circuits, and controlling means in each car for operating the switch in both cars.

Q1. The combination with an electric coupler having a plurality of circuit connections, of a rotatable switch for straight or cross connecting and disconnecting circuits,

and means for rotating the switch a predetermined portion of a complete rotation in either direction to make and break connections.

22. In a car and electric coupler including circuits leading therefrom, the combination with a rotatable reversing switch for the electric circuits having a neutral position, and means comprising a pair of fluid pressure devices for rotating the switch in one direction or the other from said neutral position.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

THOMAS R. BROWN. lVitnesses:

A. M. CLEMENTS, S. W. KEEFER. 

